Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Assessment

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) replaces Disability Living Allowance DLA for people aged 16 to 64. This change will initially be for new claims only but from October 2013 some people in receipt of DLA will be affected by the change. DLA recipients can use the DWP PIP Checker(open in new window) to see if and when they will be affected.

PIP is designed to help towards some of the extra costs incurred as a result of living with long-term ill health or a disability and is focused on the extent to which an individual’s health conditions may impact on their daily life, rather than the health conditions themselves.

We conduct PIP assessments on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). We assess people claiming PIP in Scotland, North East England, Yorkshire and Humberside, North West England, South East England, South West England and London.

When you make a claim for PIP we will review your How Your Disability Affects You form (if you are applying under the special rules for terminally ill people you may not need to fill one of these forms out) and any other supporting evidence that you provide.

We may ask you to see one of our qualified Health Professionals for a face to face consultation – usually in one of our centres, but possibly in your home. This will help us to understand how your health condition or disability affects your daily life.

We then give the DWP a report about how you are affected by your health condition or disability based on the effects on your daily life, using criteria set out by the Government. The DWP will use this report along with any other evidence provided, to decide on your entitlement to PIP and the length of any award.

The DWP has special arrangements for people who have a terminal illness and are not expected to live for more than six months. If you have a confirmed PIP claim under the special rules(open in new window) for terminally ill people, your claim will be dealt with more quickly